Profiles

Civic Engagement News

Two Bard students, Julia Lang Gordon '17 and Maeve Weber '16, attended the annual Wheatley International Affairs Conference hosted by Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah, February 24–28. The conference draws students from across the United States, offering opportunities to learn from and interact with experts in international affairs in a context that facilitates networking, first-rate instruction, energetic exchanges of ideas, and collaborative work on policy issues. This year’s theme was "The Middle East: Power, Politics, & Prospects for Peace." Keynote speakers were Marc Lynch of George Washington University and Amaney Jamal of Princeton University. Read More02-28-2015

Several Bard College students participated in the annual Student World Affairs Conference, sponsored by the World Affairs Council of the Mid-Hudson Valley and hosted by Marist College on Saturday, February 28. Papers were presented by Gabriel Matsakis '15, Wilson Brehmer '16, and Grady Nixon '17. Sana Mustafa '17 also attended and participated in panel discussions. Professor James Ketterer served as discussant for the panel on "Religious and Multiethnic Conflict." Other schools participating included the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, SUNY New Paltz, Vassar College, Marist College, and the University at Delaware. 02-28-2015

On Friday, February 27, Bard College welcomed more than 100 students and teachers to campus for the Fourth Annual Middle and High School Debate Tournament. Hosted by the Bard Debate Union and the Center for Civic Engagement, the day's events included competitive debates, conversation, and collaborative programs with young participants and Bard College student mentors. Visitors came to campus from the Bard High School Early Colleges in Manhattan, Newark, Queens, and Cleveland, as well as from the Red Hook, Rhinebeck, and Kingston Schools. Students participated in three rounds of debate on the topics of police brutality, national security, and abolishing homework in primary and secondary education. 02-27-2015

A paper by Bard College Berlin student Dylan Davis (B.A. 2016, USA) on the relationship between hate and equality has won an essay contest across several Bard-affiliated campuses. In the fall of 2014, students at Bard College and its partners at Al-Quds University in the West Bank, the American University of Central Asia in Kyrgyzstan, and Bard College Berlin participated in the Academic Initiative on Hate and the Human Condition. Courses that explored and reflected on the problem of hate were offered at participating campuses, and final papers written by students in these classes were eligible for the essay contest. Following the evaluation by a panel of judges from the four institutions, Dylan Davis's paper "Beyond Hate: Exploring the Relationship Between Hate and Equality" was selected as the winner. 02-26-2015http://www.berlin.bard.edu/news/view/archive/2015/march/article/student-paper-selected-winner-in-essay-competition-across-bard-campuses/

Representatives from Bard College and its international partners participated in the annual Association of International Education Administrators (AIEA) conference, held February 15–18 in Washington, D.C. AIEA is composed of institutional leaders from across the globe engaged in advancing the international dimensions of higher education. Bard was well represented at the 2015 conference. Susan Gillespie, vice president for special global initiatives, chaired a panel on "Implementing Liberal Arts and Sciences Education in Russia and Palestine." Panelists included Rebecca Granato, assistant dean of Al Quds Bard, and Denis Akhapin, deputy dean for academic affairs at Smolny College. In addition, James Ketterer, Bard's director of international academic initiatives, chaired a panel on "The Paul Simon Award and Comprehensive Internationalization."02-19-2015

Erin Cannan

Erin Cannan is the dean of student affairs and associate director of the Center for Civic Engagement.

Erin Cannan joined the staff of the Bard Center for Civic Engagement after 15 years in the Division of Student Affairs at Bard. Erin arrived at Bard in 1995 as assistant dean of students/director of first-year students, responsible for orientation and student activities. She was promoted to dean of student affairs, responsible for the oversight of 12 departments within the Division of Student Affairs, and overseeing the work of the dean of campus life.

As associate director of CCE, Erin’s primary focus is on the development of local volunteer and internship opportunities. She facilitates local connections to school districts, government, and business while working to develop partnerships within the center network.

Erin earned her B.A. from State University of New York at Geneseo in 1992 and a master’s degree in student personnel services from Edinboro University.